Two Cards Short
by SmallLittleWords
Summary: The Marauders have lost sight of the true value of their group. Sirius and James are willing to forgive the mistakes of the past and move forward. Remus is determined to make certain that events do not repeat themselves. Growing up shouldn't mean apart.


"Gentlemen," He paused, nodding his head towards each of the three vacant chairs. The fifth years blinked, each glancing at the other with wary expressions before they sat, giving the dark haired boy their full attention. "What do we _do_, exactly?"

Peter raised a timid hand and Sirius whilst rolling his eyes called on the boy. "Yes, Wormtail?"

"We...err, prank?" The blond shrunk back into his seat as Sirius gave him a wild-eyed look. "But we do it better than...anyone else." When the Black boy made no move to respond, James interceded.

"We're the Marauders, Sirius. What we _do_ is prank," He waved his hands with such gusto that his spectacles slid down his nose, "and by pranking we have accumulated the largest fan base that Hogwarts has ever seen."

"Yes, yes." The fifth year nodded, pacing the length of the hearth. "And that's all well and good, but it's _child's play_," He elaborated when it seemed he'd lost both Peter and James. "We're too bloody good at what we do. This morning after stuffing itching powder in Malfoy's quidditch robes, didn't it all feel so..." Sirius gestured wildly, jabbing a finger at Remus who had resorted to reading his textbook in the hopes that Merwyn the Malicious' studies of hexes might distract him from his class mate.

"Effortless."

"Precisely. Thank you, Moony." The lycan waved a hand, again becoming engrossed in the large tome. Sirius was on a roll now and by the way he kept giving Remus fleeting glances, he began to get the distinct impression that Sirius wanted help.  
"He wants to engage in pranks that are more arduous in the hopes that we will attain a greater sense of achievement." James groaned, flopping back in his seat.

"Slower, Mr. Lupin. You are easily the least loquacious person in the entire country but Peter and James aren't built to understand you when you're in a mood like this." The dark haired boy tilted his head in the direction of his companions, sighing softly.

"You know, Sirius," James murmured, sitting up in his chair to rest his elbows on his knees. "You don't impress anyone with your fancy words."  
The boy in question gasped, looking at his friend like a puppy that had been kicked down the stairs. "I'm only making up for your lack of ever impressing anyone, Jamie." Remus rolled his eyes behind the thick book. Sirius had always been one for theatrics and although it pained Remus to admit it, the older boy could work it to his advantage.

"If you actually buy any of the moronic dribble that's coming from that idiot's mouth, my respect for you will rapidly decrease the longer this conversation goes on." The lycan leveled his eyes with both of the Marauders who seemed completely enraptured by Sirius' speech.  
"He has a point, Rem." Peter nodded in agreement because if James agreed, he agreed. James and Sirius knew all, even if they didn't know best. Remus hissed in frustration, closing the book with a dull thud.

"Rubbish, all of it," The brunette pushed Sirius aside when the older boy refused to budge. "When we... and I use the term 'we' lightly because we all know that Peter and I never signed up for this," He rolled his eyes, "When we started this group... wasn't our sole objective to bring joy to others as we brought down the tyrants of the school?"

"Merlin, Remus," Sirius wrinkled his nose. "You make us sound like some kind of saint group. News flash, we're _teenagers_, Rem. We prank for the fun of it, not so some other kid can get the satisfaction." Remus cleared his throat as if he hadn't been interrupted.

"It seems to me that we have lost sight of our goal," The lycan frowned, crossing his arms. "I won't be part of a group whose sole interest is to humiliate others for their own personal gain," When it seemed that he had gained the stares of all three of his classmates, the brunette continued. "In fact, lately I've been thinking that this whole endeavor must come to an end..."

"W-what? Remus, you're talking nonsense now," Sirius sputtered, pointing an incredulous finger at Peter. "He talked you into this, didn't he?" He faltered when the lycan laughed wryly.  
"Sirius, listen to yourself. You're accusing Peter, _our_ Peter of persuading me to quit the Marauders." James jumped in before Sirius had uttered a word; the boy in question busied himself with making angry gestures at the small blonde in the armchair.

"Have you gone _daft_, Moony?" The dark haired boy pushed himself out of the chair, wrapping an arm around his friend's shoulders. "We created this group. The _four_ of us, Remus. Quitting on us now would mean that everything we've worked for...everything we've achieved and accomplished up to this point...all of that would be a waste. Don't you get it, mate?" Several moments passed with the barest trace of any noise save for the fire popping and hissing. Remus sighed heavily, his entire body sagging with the weight of the decision at hand.

"I do get it, James..." The pale boy glanced at the Chaser who stood by the hearth nearly defeated and Sirius who was at a loss for words. "But I don't think any of you do, yet." He drew himself up, looking at each of them. His gaze lingered on Peter the longest, who seemed more solemn than usual. "And until you do...I won't be pranking anytime in the near future." Before Sirius started to protest, Remus had crossed the landing to the portrait, slipping through it without another word. The three Marauders were left in the silence of his wake.


End file.
